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Road To Rivendell, The

6. After the Council

Frodo sat in the garden below his room and staredat the golden circle resting in the open palm of hishand. 'Why did I do it?' he asked himself. Whateverpossessed him to volunteer to take the Ring to thefire?

The answer was simple: He'd done it because he hadto. Everybody'd been shouting, it was clear none ofthe great people could trust themselves or each otherwith the Ring. It *had* to be somebody small andunimportant, somebody it couldn't tempt. Him.

So now he was committed, and Sam and Merry andPippin too. Well at least they'd have Gandalf to lookafter them - and Strider.

Now that had been a shock all right. His lipsquirked wryly, remembering: "He is Aragorn son ofArathorn, you owe him your allegiance." Legolas hadtold Boromir. Which made no sense at all until Boromirsaid, "This is Isildur's Heir?". Frodo had stared. Notjust one of the King's People but the King himself.

He'd understood Boromir's bitterness perfectly. Ifthere was still a King why wasn't he *doing*something? why didn't he make things right? But ofcourse Aragorn *was* doing something - he'd seen fourfeckless Hobbits and the Ring safely to Rivendell andnow he was going to take them into Mordor itself.

"If by my life or death I can protect you I will."he'd said and then he'd knelt down before Frodo andpledged his sword to a Hobbit of the Shire. Havingnever had anybody, much less a King, swear fealty tohim before Frodo hadn't had the faintest idea what tosay or do. Luckily Aragorn hadn't seemed to expectanything from him. He'd just smiled and gotten up, toFrodo's intense relief, and stood beside him with areassuring hand on his shoulder. None of the othershad knelt, thank goodness, but now he had Legolas'Elven Bow, Gimli's Dwarf axe and Boromir's sword toprotect him too - or rather the Ring. Together withGandalf's magic that should be enough, at least hehoped so.

"Frodo?"

He glanced up to see Strider - Aragorn - the Kinglooking down at him with a small frown of concerncrinkling his brow. Frodo slid off the garden benchand held out the Ring. "By rights this is yours notmine."

Aragorn shook his head. "By right it should noteven exist." gently. "Frodo, if I could I would takethis burden from you but I dare not. Isildur was agreat Man yet the Ring overcame him, I would prove nostronger."

"I know." resignedly Frodo strung the Ring back onits chain and fastened it around his neck. "It has tobe me." looked up at the Man a little shyly. "I don'tknow what to call you."

"Aragorn will do very well. It is my name." ***

"It should be me, not Frodo." Bilbo argued,stumping restlessly around his nephew's room. "I foundthe thing, it's my responsibility. Why did you make meleave it to him?" he demanded of Gandalf. "I couldhave brought it here to Rivendell seven years ago andsaved the boy all this trouble and danger."

"The Ring had already done you great harm." Gandalfreplied patiently. "For your sake it was best itpassed on."

"So it can hurt Frodo too? No! I won't have it."Bilbo stopped in front of the wizard, glared defiantlyup at him. "If the harm's already done then what moredo I have to fear?"

"Bilbo," Gandalf laid his hands on the outraged oldHobbit's shoulders. "nobody doubts your courage oryour willingness but this task is beyond yourstrength. You must leave it to Frodo."

Bilbo continued to glare into the Wizard's eyes fora moment, blinked, then finally sighed. "You're rightof course. I'm just a feeble old Hobbit. I'd be luckyto make it to the Misty Mountains, much less Mordor."

"I'll be all right, Bilbo." Frodo said reassuringly, "I have Gandalf, and Aragorn and Sam to look after me don't I?" with a quick smile at the last, ruefully returned.

Bilbo sat himself down on one of the small chairsthat had been brought down from the old Nursery forthe Hobbits' use. "Yes, but who's going to look afterMerry and Pippin?"

"Boromir?" Aragorn suggested mildly.

Frodo looked at him worriedly. "Is he going to be aproblem? I mean the two of you didn't exactly hit itoff did you?"

"I will talk to him." Aragorn promised. ***

"The Council of Gondor rejected the claims ofIsildur's Heirs," he told Boromir, some hours later."I will not contest that judgement. I have no mind forstrife with any but our common Enemy."

He had finally tracked the other Man down in theupper gallery of Elrond's library, studying thepainted history of Men and Elves lining itswalls.

"My father is Steward of the Line of Anarion,"Boromir answered defensively. "It is to them that heand I owe allegiance."

"My House represents that Line too, through Firieldaughter of Ondoher." Aragorn pointed out drily,before catching himself up. "But I have no wish torehash old arguments. My concern is the Kingdom of theNorth, or what is left of it, as Gondor is yours. TheEnemy in the East is our common foe, we have noquarrel with one another."

"I understand." Boromir said slowly.

Relieved Aragorn changed the subject. "The Hobbitsare brave but inexperienced, they will need watching,guarding. Especially the two younger ones."

Aragorn nodded, also smiling. "Exactly." the smilefaded. "They have no idea what they are facing."

"I gathered as much." Boromir said quietly. "I willbe glad to do what I can for them. Merry and Pippin isit?"

"So they are called. Meriadoc Brandybuck andPeregrine Took are their full names. They have notbeen trained in arms, unfortunately, such is notHobbit custom."

"Then they had better learn. I have some experienceas a teacher."

"Good." Aragorn nodded politely and walked away,satisfied he and the Man from Gondor understood eachother.

Boromir watched him go troubled by confusedemotions. It would seem the long lost King had nointerest at all in his Southern Kingdom. That shouldhave pleased him, yet somehow it did not. Instead hefelt like a child abandoned by its parents to live ordie in the Wild. ***

Dwarves have tenacious memories, never forgeting awrong or a benefit. And they always pay their debts.The old Hobbit could say what he liked but Gimli knewhis father, his uncle and his other kinsmen would havedied long before reaching the Lonely Mountain if notfor their Master Burglar. The Dwarves of Erebor owedtheir restored Kingdom to Bilbo Baggins. Now hisnephew and heir had taken an even greater quest uponhimself and Gimli son of Gloin intended to go with himevery step of the way, even into the fires of Mordoritself, to repay the debt owed the uncle.

And for the nephew's sake as well. Gimli liked whathe'd seen of the youngster, he'd obviously inheritedBilbo's courage as well as his Ring. And thanks to hisfather's stories Gimli knew better than to judge theyoung Hobbits by their seeming softness. They had oldBilbo's blood in their veins, his strength and cunningwould be there when they needed it. And in themeantime their older, more experienced companionswould look out for them.

It was a pity they couldn't leave sooner, the Dwarflooked disapprovingly at the airy open halls andterraced gardens around him. Insubstantial, flimsysort of place this Rivendell with no proper walls andtrees growing right inside the rooms. Not at all toDwarvish tastes. Still he could stand it for a monthor two if he had too.

And he did. The Dunadan was quite right to wanttheir route thoroughly scouted before they set out. Itseemed the Rangers were as hard pressed as everybodyelse, with evils left by Angmar creeping out of theirhiding places to haunt the Wild.

His father Gloin had been quick to remind Aragornthe Dwarf Halls of the Blue Mountains and Ereboritself were open to his people should they needrefuge. Long ago the Dunedain had sheltered Durin'sfolk, driven from Moria by Durin's Bane, and theDwarves did not forget it.

The bell rang for the noon meal and Gimli turnedhis wandering steps towards the Great Hall, stumpingstolidly up the winding paths and several flights ofstone steps.

The Wood-elf, Legolas, appeared walking along anintersecting path also on his way to the Hall. Gimliwas none to enthusiastic about this companion. Still,that bow of his might be of some use. He gave the Elfa stiff little nod of greeting.

The Elf nodded back and they continued on in silentcompany. It wouldn't be so bad. Gimli assured himself,he'd be civil as long as the Elf was - and with sevenother companions they needn't have much to do witheach other. ***

If the Dwarf could be civil so could he, Legolastold himself. Just be distantly polite and keepconversation to a minimum. That axe of his shouldprove useful anyway, Legolas was familiar enough withthe roads east to have some idea of the perils theywould face.

Once again Aragorn had turned away from hisdestiny, quixotically offering his sword to theRingbearer. Yet Legolas had seen Gandalf and Elrondexchange a near wink, as if very well pleased by theirprotege's decision. The ways of Wizards are subtle andtortuous, and Elrond's great age and Mortal blood madehim almost as inscrutable.

It was concern for Aragorn, as well as admirationfor the Halfling's courage that moved Legolas to jointheir company. If Isildur's Heir was to travel throughthe Kingdom that denied him and into the territory ofhis bitterest foe he would need a friend at his back.

As for the Ringbearer himself, Legolas' fatherThranduil had been most impressed by Bilbo Baggins. IfFrodo was anything at all like his uncle thatseemingly gentle exterior concealed unsuspectedresources of courage and cunning. He would need thosequalities badly, and all the help his companions couldgive him.

This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.